Listed below are the Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCI) for Earth and Space Science and bullet points for their specific grade band progression.

ESS3: Earth and Human Activity

ESS3.D: Global Climate Change

Primary School (K-2)

Elementary School (3-5)

Middle School (6-8)

Human activities, such as the release of greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels, are major factors in the current rise in Earth’s mean surface temperature (global warming). Reducing the level of climate change and reducing human vulnerability to whatever climate changes do occur depend on the understanding of climate science, engineering capabilities, and other kinds of knowledge, such as understanding of human behavior and on applying that knowledge wisely in decisions and activities.

High School (9-12)

Though the magnitudes of human impacts are greater than they have ever been, so too are human abilities to model, predict, and manage current and future impacts.

Through computer simulations and other studies, important discoveries are still being made about how the ocean, the atmosphere, and the biosphere interact and are modified in response to human activities.

This is a table of the Disciplinary Core Ideas
of Earth and Space Science. If
coming from a Standard the specific bullet point used is highlighted
and additional performance Expectations that make use of the
Disciplinary Core Idea can be found below the table.
To see all Disciplinary Core Ideas, click on the title "Disciplinary Core Ideas."